R 400.1913 · R 400.1913 Discipline; child handling. (2) Developmentally appropriate positive methods of discipline that encourage self-control, self-direction, self-esteem, and cooperation must be used.

I made an unannounced on-site inspection on 04/05/2023 at approximately 3:30 PM. No one was home. I left a business card in the front door. I made another unannounced on-site inspection on 04/18/2023 at approximately 5:31 PM. I interviewed Licensee, Chrsital Stairs. Ms. Stairs stated she has placed Child A in the nap room in order to separate her from the other children. She explained that Child A would hit or scratch some of the other children in care and in order to stop her, Ms. Stairs would place her in the nap room for short periods of time. Ms. Stairs did not leave Child A in the nap room for longer than ten minutes before checking on her. Ms. Stairs stated she never closed the door while Child A was in the room by herself. There were a few times Child A closed the door. Stairs explained that she usually uses redirection as a form of discipline for the children in care. I interviewed Child B's Mother, Child D's Mother and Child E's Mother on 05/31/2023. None of the parents had any concerns regarding Ms. Stairs discipline practices or policy. I interviewed Child A's Mother on 06/01/2023. Child A's Mother stated that on a few occasions she would go to pick Child A up from the child care and she would be in the nap room with the door closed. Ms. Stairs told her that she had to separate Child A from the other children because she would hit and scratch the other children. Child A's Mother was also concerned that Ms. Stairs stated in her discipline policy that she would not use time outs on children 3 years and younger. Child A is 3 years old. I received an email from Child A's Mother on that same date. Attached were the discipline policy and text messages between Child A and Ms. Stairs. The discipline policy states that time outs would not be used on children 3 years and under. The 3 text messages showed Ms. Stairs admitting to placing Child A in a room by herself as a form of discipline. I conducted an exit interview with Christial Stairs over the telephone on 06/02/2023. explained to Ms. Stairs that putting Child A in a room by herself was considered time out. I also explained that Child A should only have been in time out for three minutes, as she is only 3 years old. I also discussed the discipline policy with Ms. Stairs. I explained that she did not follow her own discipline policy because she used time out on Child A. Ms. Stairs discipline policy states, she would not use time outs with children 3 years of age and younger. Ms. Stairs agreed to follow her discipline policy and to only put children in time outs one minute for every year of their age.

Open Not marked corrected in the state record

Category: ratio. Open / not marked corrected.